Villa Skyfall Phuket

Villa Skyfall steps down a green hillside on Cape Panwa, Phuket’s quiet south-eastern tip, in a series of sleek, glass-fronted levels that all face the sea. From almost every room you look out over calm blue water dotted with islands and passing boats, and the multi-level gardens below run down towards the shore, where the villa has its own path to the water’s edge with a shower for rinsing off. It is a modern, light-filled home for two families or a group of friends who want space to roam and plenty to do without leaving the property.

The centrepiece is a twenty-two-metre infinity pool lined in natural green stone, with sun loungers and big umbrellas along its edge and the sea stretching out beyond. A shaded terrace with deep sofas sits beside it for the hours after sunset, and there is a covered outdoor dining table and a barbecue station for long evening meals. Indoors, an open-plan living room with a huge sofa and floor-to-ceiling glass opens onto the view, the dining table sits beside a sleek, fully equipped kitchen with a long island, and a games room with a billiard table, a gym and a sauna round things off.

Outside there is even more: a grassy lawn, a football and basketball court, table tennis and kayaks for paddling out from the shore. Bedrooms are calm and contemporary, with sea views, and the main suites add a private study lounge with its own terrace and a sunken bathtub overlooking the garden. A team of seven, including a private chef, housekeepers and gardeners, looks after the villa, breakfast is included every morning, and Panwa’s beaches, the aquarium and Phuket Town are all within easy reach.